Rita R. Colwell
Rita R. Colwell | |
|---|---|
| 11th Director of the National Science Foundation | |
| In office 1998–2004 | |
| President | Bill Clinton George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Neal Francis Lane |
| Succeeded by | Arden L. Bement Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 23, 1934 Beverly, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Purdue University University of Washington |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Microbiology |
| Institutions | National Science Foundation University of Maryland College Park Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Georgetown University |
| Thesis | Commensal bacteria of marine animals; a study of their distribution, physiology and taxonomy (1961) |
| Doctoral advisor | John Liston |
| Doctoral students | Jody Deming |
Rita Rossi Colwell (born November 23, 1934) is an American environmental microbiologist and scientific administrator. Colwell holds degrees in bacteriology, genetics, and oceanography and studies infectious diseases. Colwell is the founder and Chair of CosmosID, a bioinformatics company. From 1998 to 2004, she was the 11th Director and 1st female Director of the National Science Foundation. She has served on the board of directors of EcoHealth Alliance since 2012.